Coded tracer for animal feeds

ABSTRACT

A batch identifier for seeds and livestock feeds in the form of coded particles of approximately the same size as the seed or feed is disclosed. In use the coded particles are mixed with the seed or feed. The batch identifier may be paper or plastic, and coated or uncoated; and the coding may be any appropriate symbols such as letters or numbers.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a batch identifier for use in seeds and animalfeeds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The food that farmers provide to livestock often includes preparedfeeds. These prepared feeds may be as simple as milled grains, but theyoften comprise several ingredients including minute quantities ofsupplements such as vitamins and minerals. With some prepared feeds, thevarious ingredients are merely mixed together, but in other preparedfeeds the ingredients are mixed and then formed into pellets, whichtypically involves the application of steam to the ingredients.

It is common in tracers for use in animal feeds to utilize inertchemical compounds which can be easily mixed with other ingredients andanalysed for in samples, and also compounds of which the ingredientswould have low levels, such that there would be low background levels.Another type of tracer utilizes colouring, either an ingredient whichcolours the entire feed product or small particles which arecolour-coated and detectable by release of the colour with a solvent.These disclosed tracers are useful for determining the concentration ofingredients in a sample of feed, but they are of no use when it isnecessary to distinguish between different batches of a particularprepared feed. Tracers of these types are limited in the scope ofapplication because detection may be difficult when the tracer isdiluted, and without a means of uniquely coding the tracer, consecutivebatches of feed can not be differentiated.

In the feed industry, as standards of quality rise, and as publicexpectations of quality also rise, strict quality control managementbecomes more and more important, for example, the ability of themanufacturer to recall a specific batch if there is an error in mixing.The invention of a tracer which is readily detectable and coded, suchthat individual batches of feed products can be differentiated, willfacilitate quality control procedures in the processing and distributionof such feed products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect, the invention consists of a batch identifyingsystem comprising a plurality of marker sets, wherein each marker setcomprises a plurality of markers and each marker in a marker set bearsan identifying indicium which is the same within a marker set butdifferent from other sets, and further wherein a marker set is mixedwith a batch of seed or feed to distinguish the batch from otherbatches.

The markers may be of the approximate size of the constituents of theseed or feed. The markers may be plastic. The markers may be paper. Themarkers may have a coating. The coating may be wax. The coating may be aresin.

The identifying indicium may be one or more symbols on the markers. Thesymbols may be letters. The symbols may be numerals. The symbols may beletters and numerals. The identifying indicium may also be colour on themarkers.

According to another aspect, the invention consists of a method foridentifying batches of seed or feed, which comprises:

(a) mixing a set of markers having an identifying indicium fordifferentiating that set of markers from other sets of markers, into abatch of seed or feed;

(b) making a record of the identifying indicium and the batch of seed orfeed;

(c) viewing a marker in the seed or feed; and

(d) comparing the identifying indicium of the viewed marker with therecord.

Viewing the marker may consist of viewing a sample of the seed or feedunder magnification to locate the marker and to identify the identifyingindicium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention, FIG. 1 is anenlarged plan view of an individual tracer particle among adjacentparticles of feed ingredients.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Definitions:

In this patent application:

(a) “seed or feed” is used to mean either prepared livestock feeds orseeds; and

(b) “batch” is used to mean a batch, production run, lot, shipment orany other group of seed or feed where it may be useful to differentiateone such group from another.

In this invention, the batch identifier consists of uniformly sizedparticles, made of paper products, including cardboard, or plasticproducts, serving as a harmless marker, of which a very small amount isincluded in a quantity of the animal feed. The particle size of themarkers may approximate the particle size of the feed ingredients, inthe intended use, as is necessary to have adequate mixing.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the marker (1) is approximate in sizeto the adjacent feed particles (2). The batch identifier, for a specificapplication, would have markers (1) of uniform size and shape, but thesize and shape used would depend on the application and would commonlyrange from 0.001 to 1000 cubic millimeters.

The batch identifiers are distinguishable by identifying indicium, suchas colouring and by coding on the tracer particles. The code may consistof a group of symbols, such as numbers and letters, so that the markersused in a single batch of feed would all have the same code, which wouldbe different from that of the tracer used in other batches. For theconvenience of the consumer, the markers could be differently colouredfor various feed product types, and coded to indicate the manufacturingcompany and the sequential batch number.

The batch identifier would usually be included into a quantity of feedwithin a range of rates of 0.1 to 1000 grams of markers to 1000kilograms of feed. The markers would usually be premixed with a carrieringredient prior to mixing with the quantity of feed, to facilitateefficient mixing and distribution of the markers.

The markers would usually withstand normal processing procedures andremain stable in normal storage conditions adequate for the feedproducts. The markers may be improved by a coating on the markers of anappropriate resin or wax product, especially for certain applications,such as with the inclusion of liquid feed ingredients or of steam.

The detection and observation of the markers in samples of the feed maybe done by a microscopic inspection of the sample, and usuallymagnification of approximately 25 to 35 times is adequate. In feeds thathave been pelleted or similarly processed, the sample may be crushed toseparate the ingredient particles to facilitate the inspection.

Another way in which this invention may be used is as a batch identifierin plant seeds, such as in agricultural applications, for similarpurposes as with animal feeds, to mark and track batches of seed.

Another way in which this invention may be used is in the testing of themixing ability of mixing equipment, by quantitative measurement ofmarkers per unit of weight in consecutive samples from a batch of feed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A batch identifying system comprising a pluralityof marker sets, wherein each marker set comprises a plurality of markersand each marker in a marker set bears an identifying indicium which isthe same within a marker set but different from other sets, and furtherwherein a marker set is mixed with a batch of seed or feed todistinguish the batch from other batches.
 2. The batch identifyingsystem of claim 1 wherein the markers are of the approximate size of theconstituents of the seed or feed.
 3. The batch identifying system ofclaim 1 wherein the markers are plastic.
 4. The batch identifying systemof claim 1 wherein the markers are paper.
 5. The batch identifyingsystem of claim 4 wherein the markers have a coating.
 6. The batchidentifying system of claim 5 wherein the coating is wax.
 7. The batchidentifying system of claim 5 wherein the coating is a resin.
 8. Thebatch identifying system of claim 1 wherein the identifying indiciumcomprises one or more symbols on the markers.
 9. The batch identifyingsystem of claim 8 wherein said symbols comprise letters.
 10. The batchidentifying system of claim 8 wherein said symbols comprise numerals.11. The batch identifying system of claim 8 wherein the identifyingindicium further comprises colour on the markers.
 12. A method ofidentifying batches of seed or feed, which comprises: (a) mixing a setof markers having an identifying indicium for differentiating that setof markers from other sets of markers, into a batch of seed or feed; (b)making a record of the identifying indicium and the batch of seed orfeed; (c) viewing a marker in the seed or feed; and (d) comparing theidentifying indicium of the viewed marker with the record.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein viewing the marker comprises viewing asample of the seed or feed under magnification to locate the marker andto identify the identifying indicium.